More tenants fear eviction if they complain

People living in rented accommodation in the West Country say they are frequently too scared to ask their landlord to carry out basic repairs for fear of being kicked out their home.

Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity, says thousands of families were living in fear of eviction.

Meanwhile, the organisation has also uncovered evidence of what it calls "revenge eviction" where a tenant was served with an eviction notice because they complained to their landlord, letting agent or council about a problem that was not their responsibility.

Campbell Robb, chief executive of Shelter, said: "As home ownership drifts further out of reach, more of us are facing the prospect of settling down and bringing up a family in a rented home.

"But with private tenants facing the worst housing conditions in the country – and the chance of eviction if they complain – generation rent is getting a raw deal."

In the poll of private tenants, one in 12 in the South West said they avoided asking their landlord to repair a problem or improve conditions because they feared eviction.

Last month, it emerged the number of private renting households in England had risen by 77 per cent in a decade.

2 comments

The problems with housing and the lack of it, continues.
There will be more like me forced to rethink where they live. I must admit, I like my new home, but I had to leave my family in they city. Not a great idea if you are a pensioner.